Redwall Isn't Safe Anymore! (Is Redwall as Safe as they Say it is? Part Two)

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Couldn't help myself. Oops..
IC-
Rapshade yelped and swung his sword up to deflect Bracklew from sticking him through the head.
He noticed Rayne, raising a brow, before hurriedly aiming a stab at his squirrel foe's middle. Perhaps they could both get stomach wounds.

--

"Follow her shadow, paw steps, anything. Try to corner her and don't let up until she flees or dies." Duncan said, tip-pawing his way around Fangang and Petu and up to the front of the trio.
Thus he headed down the hallway, sword out and ready.
"Where are ya, Ferret?"

[Groddil]

Shadomay gripped the spear as a staff, trying to hit the rapier from Fardan's paw.

[LT Sandpaw]

The swords clashed once again and due to the saber's unique design combined with his shoulder wound Bracklew's attempt to block only just succeeded. His own sword slid down the saber's length, becoming caught on the pommel guard, while the blade sank a full inch into the squirrel. His thick winter coat took the brunt of the blow, protecting him from being slain, but not from receiving a small yet painful wound.

Jumping away Bracklew pressed his left arm against the fresh wound, letting out a pained yelp. He reacted on instinct, striking out at Rapshade's nose.

Behind the two fighters Rayne winced sympathetically, putting a paw to her mouth. The mouse knew very little of combat, but she knew a lot about such wounds. The two warriors were slowly witling away at each other.

~*~*~*~

"Listen, I think I can hear her." Petu whispered, leaning in on a particular room, squinting to pierce the shadows that hid Alfhild from view. Petu stepped forward, checking around the left side of the door.

[Ashleg]

Rapshade hesitated, surprised that he actually hit.
How dare he feel guilty. He was faulty, there was something wrong with him.
Angrily, the ferret bit his tongue and made to move out of the way, but he felt Bracklew's sword leave a thin cut across his nose.

That was when he realized he couldn't win by playing fair. The ferret turned and ran at Rayne before she could get to the door, sword raised.

--

Alfhild, lurking in the shadows behind the door, maneuvered into position and fired an arrow at Petu when he came into sight.

[Hickory]

Fardan's blade spun across the battlefield. Enraged, the wildcat gripped the spear and wrenched it from the fox's hands, discarding the weapon like a toy. Claws out, Fardan advanced towards Shadowmay.

OOC: He tries to throttle her, she pulls a dagger from somewhere, kills him, END SCENE!

[Groddil]

Shadomay ducked back as Fardan lashed at her. The vixen raised her forelegs to protect her face, but not before a paw raked across her face, leaving three thin scars down her muzzle. The vixen kicked out at the wildcat, but to no avail. Fardan's powerful paws gripped her by the neck. Her own paws instinctively rose to pry him off, but she was not strong enough. Salvation came in the form of Celio, stabbing a knife into Fardan's back. The wildcat roared, wheeling around, snatching the fallen spear, and jamming it into Celio's leg as the mouse attempted to dodge. Shadomay took the opportunity to wrench the dagger from Fardan's turned back and stab him twice in the stomach. The wildcat spat blood, ripping the blade from his own gut and charging Shadomay. The vixen nimbly sidestepped the wildcat, drew an arrow from her quiver, and stabbed it into Fardan's eye. The wildcat dropped the dagger and pawed roughly at the arrow lodged in his skull, trying to break it free. The vixen took the dagger and thrust it up, one final time, through the wildcat's neck and straight up until the tip burst through his mouth. With a final gurgle, Fardan crashed onto Celio. Shadomay ran to the mouse's side.
"You alive?"
"Yeah. Can't... Feel my leg, though."
"Come on. Let's get you out of here."
"Thanks."

OOC: Good enough death for ya?

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: PP much?

IC:
 
Surprised by Rapshade's sudden charge, Rayne stood frozen, her footpaws rooted to the ground. Bracklew on the other paw was galvanized into action, pursuing Rapshade, a shout of fury rising from his throat. "Come back cowa-"

~*~*~*~*~

Stepping over the unconscious Aver, Grah the Krah released a challenging hiss towards Shadowmay. One jet black eye remained locked on Fardan's corpse, the other rested on the fox that had killed him.
An courageous mole charged Grah with a sword, but a single swipe from the crow's razor talons silenced the poor beast forever.
"Why kill Far-dan earthcrawler filth?" She challenged, fluffing up her feathers, almost doubling her already impressive size. "Craaaah, I feast, kill!"

~*~*~*~*~

Dim light and quick reflexes saved Petu's life. Leaping back the rabbit sucked in his stomach, falling completely over as the arrow buzzed past his ears, bouncing off the stone wall behind him. Abandoning his sword Petu scrambled on all fours out of the doorway, joining Duncan and Fang a little ways away.
"I think she's in there!" He shouted, stating the obvious.

OOC:

You might want to get a few more characters involved against Grah, she's kind of a beast.

[Ashleg]

OOC-
@LT Sandpaw
...Now!
IC-
"Right, here I come..."
Smirking, Rapshade spun at the last moment and lunged at Bracklew.
He thrust his sabre forward, aiming to knock him down.

--

"Seems so," Duncan breathed, helping Petu up.
"Come on." He drew his sword and advanced towards the room, stepping lightly. His nose twitched when he peered inside, ready for an attack any moment...but all he got to see was the other door swinging wildly as Alfhild made her escape.
The March hare sprinted inside after calling back to Petu and Fang. "Hurry, she ran off, quick before we lose her!"

--

Alfhild snuck along the hallways, going down a less-used area that led back to the main hall.
She glanced down at the very scared Grant, whom was struggling a bit and shot a fierce glare right back at her.
The ferret kept her paw over his mouth, snickering mildly.
She picked up her newphew's scent from the room where he was doing battle with Bracklew, and began creeping towards it.

[LT Sandpaw]

Caught off-guard by Rapshade's spin, Bracklew sought out the ferret's blade with his own, only realizing his rookie mistake when Martin's sword was sent flying from his paw. It clattered to the stones a few tail lengths away, out of Bracklew's reach. A single kick of Rapshade's footpaw sent the young squirrel to his knees, where he stayed, unable to fully comprehend how the fight had gone out of his favor so swiftly.
"You... Cheated." He panted, staring up at Rapshade in dismay, his grey eyes pleading. "Rayne, run. Get out of here..."

Rayne ignored Bracklew's urging, she stayed and more, rushing over and slapping Rapshade's side with her bare paws. The little mouse had recovered from her shock, and squeaked angrily. "Leave him alone, you murdering bully!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm right behind you." Petu grunted, recollecting his sword and giving chase after Duncan. He cast a single glance back to see if Fang was still following.

OOC:

You can have Rapshade deal with Rayne easily. Also its fine if Benyo fights Grah as well.

[Ashleg]

"Gah--idiot!" Rapshade gasped, reeling as she touched the wound.
He whirled and knocked Rayne away with the hilt of his sabre while keeping Bracklew pinned with one paw.
"How dare..."

That was when Alfhild burst in through the door and threw Grant down on the floor.
Duncan and Fang skidded to a stop right outside, digging their footpaws in so they didn't go flying.

"Surrender or I'll kill him!" Alfhild screeched.

Duncan's eyes, wide with shock, traveled round the room from one fight to another. He didn't move.

"Aunt." Rapshade's pupils contracted.

"Rap, don't kill Bracklew!" Fang yelped, trying to slip past Duncan. He was blocked and pushed back to that he stood beside Petu.

"Don't listen to him! Kill them all, even Bracklew," Alfhild snapped. "He would kill you."

Rapshade raised his sabre.

[LT Sandpaw]

Closing his fear-filled eyes Bracklew lowered his head in defeat, waiting for the saber's blade to snatch away his life. His body tensed in anticipation, wondering what deaf was like.

Further away Rayne lay still on the floor, paws clutching her jaw where Rapshade's pommel had connected.

[Ashleg]

It was taking too long...
The black ferret felt his paws get clammy.
He adjusted the sabre and then prepared it for a swing.

Alfhild leapt up, laughing hysterically, and placed her footpaw over Grant's throat.
"Yes, yes! Kill, Rapshade! Kill your enemy!"

"For my mother, and for me." Rapshade's amber eyes were cold as he swung the sword in a wide arc, at the same time whirling right.
Crimson red blood came splattering out, splashing the walls and his fur like a wave in a current.
And then the weapon went clattering from his grasp. He fell backwards on his tail, staring widely at Alfhild's head which lay in the corner.

"I win."

[LT Sandpaw]

He waited for what seemed like an eternity. Bracklew dared not look up lest he see Rapshade's sword descending upon him at that very moment, yet the sound of Alfhild's cackling being cut short, and the thump of something hitting the floor was too much.
Raising his head, Bracklew stared in amazement at Rapshade, and his bloodied sword. Alfhild's decapitated body. Petu and Duncan and Grant who stood near by, and lastly Rayne who lay deathly still on the floor beside him. "I don't... Why?" Bracklew could say no more. He simply didn't understand. He was alive, somehow, had some trick of fate saved him from Rapshade's sword? The young squirrel was to confused and tired to puzzle through it himself.

Beside Duncan, Petu whispered tersely into the hare's tall ears. "Erm, should we do something about Rapshade? Whose side is he on anyway? Wasn't that his aunt he just slew?"

[Ashleg]

Rapshade gasped and clutched his bloodied side, feeling the pain now that the adrenaline was gone.
Dizzy, he slapped a paw to his forehead.
"I surrender. Don't kill me."

"It looks like 'e killed Rayne..." Fangfang whispered, watching as Duncan, without speaking, stepped cautiously inside. The hare continued to hold great contempt as he looked at Rapshade.
"You're bluffing," he said, holding his swordpoint a hairbreadth away from the neck of his adversary. The room was quiet except for Duncan's stern voice and the animals' breathing. "Faking a surrender is your thing...and even if it wasn't, what do you want? You have proven to us that we cannot let you go. The first thing you did when you got free was rise up and continue killing our friends."

Rapshade avoided eye contact, shrugging meekly.
"I know...and I'm not sorry. I'm not lying either."

Duncan pressed the blade harder against the vermin's throat.
He glanced at the others.
"My vote is to kill him. I knew I was wrong when I told Grant that I thought he could change. If anybeast has any objections, speak up or forever hold your tongue. But by golly, I am not letting him walk away from here."

Grant was quiet, glaring daggers at Rapshade.
Fang ran forward. "Don't kill 'im, please Duncan."

[Hickory]

"He'll be dead, and on my blade!" yelled Gruddil, storming onto the scene. "That ferret murdered our leader, and as Guosim law states, a new Log-a-log cannot be chosen until the previous one was avenged. And that is what I intend to do!"

The shrew drew his rapier and started towards Rapshade. "It would be wise for none of you to stand in my way..."